First Tuesdays with The Midwest Independent Film Festival:
Street Thief, Indestructible, Steel City Lead 2007 Best of the Midwest Awards!
Awards Ceremony will include special advance screening of Grace Is Gone
Three thrilling works of independent cinema – Malik Bader’s Tribeca fave Street Thief, Ben Byer’s heartwrenching doc Indestructible and Alton, IL native Brian Jun’s star-laden Sundance drama Steel City - lead all nominees for The 2007 Best of the Midwest Awards, hosted by The Midwest Independent Film Festival. These awards recognize the premier films and filmmakers featured during this year's festival, which holds its screenings every first Tuesday of the month at Landmark Century Centre Cinema.
Winners are chosen via online balloting from both the public and the festival’s Screening Committee. Online voting continues through Tuesday, November 20th at www.midwestfilm.com. Click here to view our complete list of nominees then click here to vote!
SCREENING INFORMATION: The Tuesday, December 4th festivities begin with a Pre-Show Cocktail Reception (sponsored by Diageo) at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema (2828 North Clark) at 6 p.m. The Best of the Midwest Awards ceremony begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a special advance screening of Grace Is Gone, starring John Cusack. A post-screening reception will be held immediately following the film at Cousin's (2833 North Broadway).
GET TO KNOW OUR TOP NOMINEES:
STREET THIEF. Over the course of a year, filmmakers Bader and Harrison follow Chicago's most elusive burglar, Kaspar Carr, as he taps phones, cases stores, and pulls off numerous scores. As Carr drags the filmmakers deeper into his murky world of disguises and sinister surprises, the line between documentarian and criminal accomplice becomes increasingly blurred. Five nominations include Drama, Editing (Nadav Kurtz), Cinematography (Ken Seng), Actor (Malik Bader) and Director (Bader).
STEEL CITY. 2007 Golden Globe Award Winner America Ferrera (Best Actress in a Comedy, Ugly Betty) heads up a superb all-star cast in the Midwest independent drama, Steel City, written and directed by Alton, IL native Brian Jun, entirely shot and produced in Illinois. Five nominations include Drama, Actress (Laurie Metcalf), Editing (Jun) and Director (Jun).
INDESTRUCTIBLE. When 31-year-old Ben Byer is diagnosed with ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease, he begins documenting his life on camera. What begins as a series of video diaries grows into a three-year journey that takes him around the world looking for answers, and maybe even a cure. Four nom’s include Documentary, Editing (Tim Baron), Cinematography (Roko Belic) and Director (Byer).
ABOUT THE MIDWEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL: The Midwest Independent Film Festival (www.MidwestFilm.com) is the nation's only film festival solely dedicated to the Midwest filmmaker, presenting audiences with regionally produced independent cinema every first Tuesday of the month at Landmark Century Centre Cinema, 2828 North Clark in Chicago. This year-round film festival sits proudly at the center of the independent film scene in Chicago and the Midwest and is dedicated to celebrating and strengthening that community. This year’s sponsors include Resolution Digital Studios, O’Connor Casting, Zacuto, Fletcher Camera, Flashpoint Academy, Zaroban Design, The Illinois and Chicago Film Offices, Kodak, The Peshtigo, DKP Image, Mimi Productions, TK Audio, Stock Yard Films and Orbit Media Studios.
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